Matthew Stafford won the Lions' quarterback derby. Daunte Culpepper didn't lose the job. That's what Detroit's new coach, Jim Schwartz, emphasized Monday when he made the No. 1 overall draft pick the starter for Sunday in New Orleans, when the Lions try to win for the first time in 21 months.

Mark Sanchez needed one play to get his NFL career off to a rousing start. Sanchez completed a 48-yard pass to David Clowney on his first NFL play, and the Jets rookie engineered an early scoring drive in New York's 23-20 loss to the St. Louis Rams on Friday night.

For the second time in three years, the St. Louis Rams released wide receiver Isaac Bruce. This time they may be cutting ties for good with the last player remaining from the team's 1995 move from Los Angeles to St. Louis.